Delays Persist on NJ Transit After Morning Derailment

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NJ Transit trains were still experiencing delays Tuesday night, and six overnight trains were canceled altogether at New York's Penn Station after a morning derailment.

As of 8 p.m., Northeast Corridor and New Jersey Coast line trains were subject to 30- to 45-minute delays in both directions, according to NJ Transit. Midtown trains for the rest of the service day are going to and from Hoboken Terminal, where customers are allowed to transfer to PATH at no additional charge.

Between 12:45 a.m. and 3 a.m., the six overnight trains going to and from New York's Penn Station are cancelled as crews repair the tracks.

The trains will instead begin their trips from Newark Penn Station, NJ Transit said. Customers traveling from New York should connect to PATH trains and transfer at Newark.

New York's Penn Station was quiet as the evening rush began Tuesday, indicating many commuters knew to avoid certain trains after a morning derailment and find alternate ways home.

New Jersey Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak said the morning incident was likely to snarl the evening commute.

NJ Transit Train 3823 was leaving New York's Pennsylvania Station for Trenton, N.J. when the last two cars of the 10-car train jumped their rails around 8 a.m., transit spokeswoman Courtney Carroll said. No one was injured, she said.

Commuters using the Midtown Direct service to New Jersey have to take PATH to Hoboken and switch trains. The Northeast Corridor and New Jersey Coast Lines have limited service from New York's Penn Station, with delays up to 90 minutes.

The LIRR says to expect cancellations and delays at Penn Station. Amtrak warns of 15- to 30-minute delays between Boston and Washington.

The 300 passengers on the NJ Transit train were transferred to another train by 9:18 a.m., Carroll said. The accident happened before the rail lines narrow to one track to enter the tunnel, so the second train was able to pull alongside the disabled train on a parallel track.

The accident forced authorities to shut down one of the two rail tunnels used by Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains between Manhattan and New Jersey. Both inbound and outbound trains were sharing the remaining tunnel, said Cliff Cole, an Amtrak spokesman.

Amtrak and New Jersey Transit authorities have long complained that they need more tunnels under the Hudson to avoid delays when something goes wrong.

In October a plan to dig another tunnel was shelved after New Jersey Chris Christie balked at the $9 billion to $14 billion price tag.